Archive for August, 2009

AboutThis album is the first in a series of releases that Echodub are putting together to highlight some of the artists that we love.

We selected a number of artists, and asked them all to contribute to what we feel is a showcase of some of the most beautiful music coming from the deeper end of the dubstep, electronic and IDM genres.

Desktop is unlike Curd’s and Thompson’s other projects, meeting somewhere between Stevie Wonder, New Order and 80s Detroit techno. Thompson’s thick and driving bass lines and Curd’s rich, reverb-drenched harmonies stand out as highlights of their debut self-titled EP. The EP was completely collaborative from the onset, with Thompson and Curd constantly revising each other’s contributions, at all times pushing for the goal of a better song. Thompson and Curd developed the recordings completely via the internet, never actually working on anything together in the same room.

With all the ambient, axe wielding, lo-fi experimentalists taking over the independent music limelight, Desktop have created a smart, feel-good breath of fresh air.

Keith Thompson plays in Electric Six, known for their hits “Danger! High Voltage” (UK Singles Chart #2) and “Gay Bar” (UK Singles Chart #7). Thompson also is an active member of Detroit’s Johnny Headband.

Zach Curd plays keyboards in The Pop Project, known in power-pop circles for 2008’s critically acclaimed Stars Of Stage And Screen album. Curd also heads up the Ann Arbor, MI based Suburban Sprawl Music label.

Desktop – 12 Inch EP PRE-ORDER NOW here . ITEM WILL SHIP ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2009This is the debut release from Detroit’s Desktop, a collaboration between Keith Thompson (Electric Six, Johnny Headband) and Zach Curd (The Pop Project). 3 songs on one sided vinyl. with letterpressed jacket. Vinyl also comes with a floppy disk including very low, low, low (did we mention low?) resolution digital versions of the songs. This release is limited edition with a total run of 200 copies.

From hard and unapologetic club bangers to sweet and crunchy electronic ballads, this relentless iconoclast seems able to do it all within a half nuts, half dancefloor lo-fi setting.

F.r.a.c.t.a.l is the project of Paris-based producer Jérémie Kaminski, a self-taught musician and mad sonicist who thrives on always re-inventing himself and exploring new grounds.

“I’m always looking for new ways to create music,” he says. “That’s why I always use exotic controllers like the Percussa AudioCubes, Lemur, Tenori-On etc… to manipulate sounds.”

Kaminski was not born into a musical family but the fanaticism of an uncle towards the Purple Funk of Prince and a passion for skateboarding, that opened up his ears to Hip Hop, with acts such as Naughty by Nature and Public Enemy, were a good place to get an early education.

Where most teenagers aspire to be in a band and play guitar, Kaminski was interested in drum machines and synths. Upon hearing Wish by Nine Inch Nail his fate was sealed.

He became a member of a local band, Insekur, that toured a lot around Paris. But the urge to make his own music soon forced him to go solo, the creation being a solitary thing for Kaminski, and thus was born F.r.a.c.t.a.l.

what we think:Its time for changesProbably you had enough of same electro sound!Big surprise,probably next big thing is F.r.a.c.t.a.l. thanks to ModyWorks we have this EP,all tracks are very innovativeObsolete -is more moodyArise -Electro Disco,Crunk with acid,perfect for clubs!Paperboy-You can have it for free for a taste of what to expect!Battlefield is more then Battlefield

French Electro its not dead thanks 2 F.r.a.c.t.a.l)-we have a Resurrection (Track nr.5 )!All this tracks are already at myspace(below)Contact F.r.a.c.t.a.l. to remix your tracks asap!

As part of our ongoing Labels We Love podcast series, we shift our focus to the gritty streets of Manchester, where the Modern Love crew has been turning heads since 2006 when Claro Intelecto began dropping his Warehouse Sessions 12-inches. Also home to artists like Move D, Echospace, Pendle Coven, and Andy Stott, the label is perhaps best known for its combination deep techno sounds with down-and-dirty Detroit basslines, but also dabbles in house and even dubstep and jungle (via sister imprints Daphne and Hate). For this mix, they’ve tapped fellow Manc and frequent label contributor MLZ to survey the Modern Love sound.

After kicking off our Labels We Love podcast series with a beautifully moody offering from Type Records, this week’s installment comes direct from the dancefloors of Hamburg, Germany. For several years now, the Diynamic imprint has been quietly releasing an impressive stream of no-frills tech-house from artists like H.O.S.H., Isolée, and label co-founder Solomun. On this mix, they’ve enlisted Stimming, another one of their heavy hitters, to put together a sampling of the Diynamic sound. Fresh off the release of his Reflections album earlier this year, his selections are subtle and tasteful, yet fully capable of stirring up a late-night dancefloor—a description befitting the entire Diynamic catalog.